Indian Embassy took part in the Opening Ceremony of Hala Festival in Kuwait on February 10, 2017 and the Indian stall was exquisitely decorated with “Incredible India” posters and tourism material for the occasion. India’s Bohra Band (Burhani Guards) held the audience spellbound with their performances and children from the Bohra community spread the message of importance of cleanliness in ...
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MEA Opens First Batch of New Post Office Passport Seva Kendras
The Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and the Department of Posts (DOP), following the 24th January announcement, has opened the first batch of the Head Post Offices (HPO) in the various States as Post Office Passport Seva Kendras (POPSK) for delivering passport related services to the citizens. The move makes post offices escape the prospect of extinction and yet ...
Read More »Haj Committee Formed to Review India’s HAJ Policy
Indian Ministry of Minority Affairs has constituted a Committee on January 31, 2017 under a retired IAS officer Afzal Amanullah to review the Haj Policy 2013-17 and to suggest framework for Haj Policy for five years from 2018 to 2022. This Committee comprises of Mr. Amanullah, former Secretary to Government of India and former Consul General, Consulate General of India, ...
Read More »Haj Subsidy Halved by India in 4 years: Minister
After the Supreme Court directive in 2012 to progressively decrease Haj subsidy and completely eliminate it in 10 years, Haj subsidy has been gradually reduced from Rs.836.56 crore in 2012-13 to Rs. 405 crore in the year 2016-17, said Mr. Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, the Minister of State (IC) for Minority Affairs, in written reply to a question in Lok Sabha ...
Read More »Kailash Manasarovar Yatra 2017: MEA Begins Registration Process
The registration for Kailash Manasarovar Yatra being organized by Ministry of External Affairs has started with the Yatra scheduled from 12th June to 8th September, 2017. The Yatra will be conducted in two routes, said a statement. Eligible applicants should be 18 years or above and not more than 70 years as on 1st January 2017 and the last date ...
Read More »Indian Embassy in US Holds Open House for Community
The Indian Embassy in Washington DC held its 3rd “Consular Open House” on Feb. 01, 2017 to address the grievances of Indians in the US and assured them quick resolution on problems ranging from visas, passports to OCI cards issued to people of Indian origin. The Open House is a new initiative taken up by the mission in Washington DC. ...
Read More »India, Israel to Upgrade BARAK 8 Missile System
To upgrade the Long Range Surface-to-Air Missile (LR-SAM) and Medium Range Surface-to-Air Missile (MR-SAM), India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Isreal Aerospace Industry (IAI) will collaborate to upgrade Barak-8 missile system, said Minister of State for Defence Dr. Subhash Bhamre in a written reply to Mr. Ram Charan Bohra in Lok Sabha on Friday. LR-SAM is the Ship ...
Read More »Missing Obama? Majority Americans Prefer to Have Him Back as US President
Within two weeks after Barack Obama stepped down after completing his two terms as US President, the unpopular Muslim visa ban of new US President Donald Trump has shaken Americans to wish for Obama’s return. However, the Twenty Second Amendment to the US Constitution doesn’t allow it. In an opinion poll conducted by the Public Policy Polling after surveying 725 ...
Read More »India’s US Mission in Washington DC Holds Joint Workshop on Defence Preparedness
In view of deepening Indo-US defence scientific cooperation, a Joint Workshop on “Medical and Chem Bio-defence” is being organised by the Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences (INMAS), Delhi (of DRDO), is being held from 31st January to 2nd February 2017 at the Indian Chancery in Washington DC. The workshop has focused on medical, chemical and biological defense strategies ...
Read More »Post-Hafiz Saeed House Arrest, India Seeks Credible Crack Down by Pakistan
In an official response to the preventive detention of Hafiz Saeed and others by Pakistan on Tuesday, India’s spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs, Mr Vikas Swarup said credible steps by Pakistan required to show its commitment to end terrorism. Pakistan’s Ministry of Interior placed on Tuesday the Jamaat-ud-Dawa and the Falah–e-Insaniyet Foundation under the watchlist. Also the Falah-e-Insaniyet ...
Read More »Axe on H1B Visa? US Bill Placed in Upper House; How Indian IT Firms Stack Up?
Finally, the Bill on High-Skilled Integrity and Fairness Act of 2017 has been introduced in the US House of Representatives seeking to double the minimum salary of H-1B visa holders to US$130,000, making it a mockery if American firms deny recruiting locals at a lower cost. Currently, the minimum wage cap on H1B Visa seekers is US$60,000 that was set ...
Read More »Beijing Mission Celebrates Republic Day, Ambassador Gokhale Unfurls Flag
India’s 68th Republic Day was celebrated at the Embassy of India, Beijing on 26 January 2017 with Indian Ambassador Vijay Gokhale unfurling the Tricolor at Embassy premises. Later, he read out passages from the President of India’s Address to the Nation. The Culture Wing of the Embassy then screened a short movie on “A Day in the Life of India”, ...
Read More »Indian Embassy in US Observes Martyr’s Day
Indian embassy in Washington DC on Monday observed the Martyr’s Day to mark the death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi on Jan. 30, 1948. Indian Ambassador Navtej Sarna and other officers paid floral tributes to the statue of Mahatma Gandhi located in front of the Indian Embassy on Massachusetts Avenue in the US capital. All the staff and visitors who participated in ...
Read More »Sri Lankan Navy Commander Visits Delhi, to Proceed to Goa, Kochi Next
Vice Admiral RC Wijegunaratne, Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy, who is on an official visit to India from 29 January to 02 February 2017, held bilateral discussions with Admiral Sunil Lanba, Chief of the Naval Staff and other senior officials of the Indian Navy on 30 January 2017. The Admiral is also scheduled to meet the Chief of the ...
Read More »Nepal SAARC Meeting on Feb 1 to Decide on Next Summit Schedule
The nations of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) will meet in Kathmandu on February 1-2 to attend the Programming Committee meeting over the next SAARC summit schedule. This is the first meeting of the SAARC members after the controversial postponement of the 19th SAARC summit scheduled in Islamabad last year in November due to India’s objections over the ...
Read More »Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar Gets One More Year of Extension
Foreign Secretary S.Jaishankar has been given an extension of tenure by one more year by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet on Monday. He was scheduled to retire on January 28, after serving already on a two-year extension of service. In a statement, the government said Jaishankar’s term has been extended from 29th January 2017 to 28th January 2018. A ...
Read More »President Underlines Need for Closer Ties with UAE
President of India Pranab Mukherjee on the eve of the 68th Republic Day received Chief Guest Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of UAE Armed Forces at Rashtrapati Bhavan and hosted a banquet in his honour on Wednesday evening. Welcoming the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, the President said the State ...
Read More »Modi Invites Trump to Visit India
When the much-awaited telephone call came from the new US President, Donald Trump, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was upbeat because the call has accredited India with a prime status of being the fifth country made by Washington’s new leader. Trump, in his typical style called India a “true friend and partner,” and invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the ...
Read More »India’s Republic Day Parade – 2017: UAE Contingent Participates, Presents Ceremonial Salute
India’s military prowess and achievements depicted in a variety of tableux were on a grand show before the public at the historic Rajpath when the country celebrated its 68th Republic Day today. The highlights of this year’s Parade were a 149-member UAE Presidential Guard, the Air Force, the Navy and Army contingent led by a UAE band marching on Rajpath ...
Read More »India Moves up 2 Points in Transparency Index 2016
India has moved up slightly in the graft watchdog Transparency International‘s corruption perception index for 2016 by two points with a score of 40 out of 100, compared to 38 last year. “India s ongoing poor performance with a score of 40 reiterates the state s inability to effectively deal with petty corruption as well as large-scale corruption scandals. The ...
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